Essay Explores 'Showcase Images' from Memling to Contemporary Art Academy Practices

A reflective essay dives into a personal collection of 'showcase images'—artworks for analysis—spanning from the 15th century to today. Among these is Hans Memling's Saint Veronica, created between 1470 and 1475, depicting the saint with Christ’s image on cloth, emphasizing how images convey messages. Another important piece is Lluís Borrassà's altarpiece from 1390–1400 in Saint Francis Church, Villafranca del Penedès, Spain, which features the Virgin Mary with intricate embroidery, standing out from the floral designs of its time. Additionally, contemporary works like Pia Rönicke's 2018 film Word for Forest, showcasing a hand revealing a fern’s underside in a mirror, are discussed. The author, who taught at the Royal Danish Academy of Fine Arts from 2009 to 2020, organized studio visits where students presented their creations, including photocopies and 3D-printed sculptures. This experience underscores the crucial exchange of images and ideas in art education, often neglected in traditional curricula. An earlier version of this essay appeared in the 2018 BFA catalogue of the Royal Danish Academy’s Schools of Visual Arts.